Overview

• David Harbour shared that he originally believed Jim Hopper's story in Stranger Things should have ended with the character's suicide in season one as a way to apologize to his late daughter.
• Hopper's survival has become a pivotal part of the series, including a fake-out death in season three and his return in season four, which shaped fan engagement and narrative progression.
• Some cast members, including Gaten Matarazzo and Millie Bobby Brown, have expressed a desire for higher stakes and more character deaths, but creators Matt and Ross Duffer have resisted such changes.
• Harbour's portrayal of Hopper, which involved an immersive transformation into the character's messy persona, led to a career resurgence, including a recurring role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• Netflix is set to release the fifth and final season of Stranger Things later this year, with anticipation building around how the series will conclude its character arcs and storylines.